Up for Grabs
by SnowWhiteQuill
Summary: Dumbledore's new attempt at House Unity is a schoolwide contest for Cutest Couple. A new category of votes each week heats things up. Competition's fierce and the title's up for grabs. Who are YOU voting for? D/Hr, H/G, B/P. Sequel to "New It Couple..."


**Disclaimer: If I were J.K. Rowling, I would not have to study for three tests this weekend. But I do, so yes, we all lose.**

"_Hermione, how can you possibly be dating Draco Malfoy?!!?" Ron shouted after recovering from his faint._

"_Hermione, please tell me this morning at breakfast I was just having a horrible, blood-chilling, end-of-the-world nightmare, and that I was in fact, not witnessing you snog Malfoy in front of the whole school?" Ah, yes, Harry had always been one for denial._

"_Hermione, can you give me one good reason for not hexing your la Perla covered arse after you blatantly hid your relationship from your best girlfriend?" Ginny's face was the same color as her hair._

**And they were the ones who had taken the relatively **_**well**_, thought Hermione Granger as she straightened her Gryffindor tie on a Thursday morning inside the Head Dorms. It is now two weeks after her relationship with Draco Malfoy had been outted, and she still hasn't forgotten all the insane questions people had bombarded her with after that memorable breakfast in the Great Hall.

"_Hermione, I had the weirdest dream while sleepwalking this morning" Luna Lovegood confessed, " It was about you and Malfoy snogging!"_

"Luna, that wasn't a dream."

"_Wow, Hermione, see! That was weird right there! I just heard you say 'it wasn't a dream!' How weird is that? Can you brew me a nice Sleeping Potion before these Wrakspurts really do eat up my brain? And maybe a Hearing-Restoring Potion too?" _

_*************_

"_Granger, nice one, you and Draco really got me this time!" Blaise Zabini said before bursting into a laughing fit, "I mean, really, pretending to have a relationship and almost shagging each other on the Slytherin table in front of the school? Just so Draco could win my new Nimbus? HAHA!" _

"But, Blaise, Draco and I are really dating."

"_Haha!! Nice one again.! It never gets old does it?"_

"But, I-"

_He interrupted her with an awfully painful fist bump. "Seriously, girl, respect."_

_*************_

"_Hermione," said Oliver Wood, who had come back to Hogwarts to become a Quidditch teacher for first years, "I cannot believe you are so selfish." _

"Oliver, what are you talking about?"

"_I cannot believe you would put your personal relationships before the chances Gryffindor has at the Quidditch Cup!!"_

"But Oliver, that doesn't make any sense. I'm dating the Slytherin seeker, not the Gryffindor one."

_"Yes, but so far, Harry is THIS close to murdering Draco Malfoy, and if he does, where will we find another seeker? HUH?"_

"I…I…"

_"I mean, sabotaging your own house by creating a plan to put our seeker in Azkaban? Did you and Malfoy come up with this together? Did you?!" He pointed a shaking finger at Hermione and stormed off._

_*************_

_"Miss Granger, I need to talk to you," said Professor Snape in his monotone voice that day after Potions. _

"Of..of course, Professor"

_He proceeded in his drawl, "Whatever Dumbledore is paying you and Draco to date, I will pay double for you to end your relationship." _

Hermione's jaw had fallen open, and when she finally choked out a surprised "what?!"

"_Really, Miss Granger, You don't have to pretend. I know this is that bumbling old fool's new trick at promoting house unity. But the sight of the two of you together makes me wish I had died at Voldemort's scarily pale hands. So Miss Granger, I don't care if you're a know-it-all and always feel the need to show off and be at the top of everything to make up for you other transparent insecurities; stop trying to kiss up to the Headmaster at every chance. That is obviously Potter's job," Snape paused, sneered at Harry's name, then continued, "Now if you will excuse me, I have to go Obliviate myself of that disgusting doe-eyed look Draco gave you during my class. It is making me want to puke." And with that, Professor Snape had swept out of the dungeons with his black robes._

_*************_

Thankfully, it had been almost two weeks, and those hideously awkward conversations were well past. Harry, Ron, and Ginny had accepted the news as err…gracefully as possible. Which really wasn't saying much, seeing as how Draco was Ron and Harry's sworn enemy. But they were at least civil now, trying the best not to insult Draco- at least not in front of his face. Compared to the boys, Ginny had taken the news a bit better; once Hermione took the time to have a long heart-to-heart with her, she became extremely supportive.

As Hermione Granger ran a wand over her hair in yet another attempt to tame it, she felt someone's arms encircle her waist from behind.

"Leave it like that, Granger. I like your hair the way it is."

With an amused smile, Hermione replied, " Well, Malfoy, I distinctly remember you calling my hair a fur ball for six years. Why the sudden change of mind?" She turned around and put her arms around Draco's neck, leaning in for a kiss.

"Harry! I TOLD you! we should've knocked!" Ginny Weasley hurried in the room after the-boy-who-lived, looking a bit embarrassed at interrupting Draco and Hermione's moment.

Hermione quickly dropped her arms to her sides, but Draco's arms remained firmly on her waist.

"Potter, get out of my girlfriend's room."

Harry narrowed his eyes and replied, "Take your hands off Hermione, Malfoy. Ron and I might like you a bit more than before, but things are going to change if you keep on groping our best friend like she's a pack of meat."

"Harry, stop it! _You_ shouldn't be one to talk. Last time I walked in on you and Ginny by accident-"

Ginny clapped her hands together loudly, "Great! Now that this conversation is sufficiently awkward, let's go down to breakfast, shall we?" Ginny glared at both Harry and Hermione.

"Oh, right, sorry, Gin," Hermione gave an apologetic smile, "We were about to go downstairs anyway," said Hermione, and with a smile she turned to Draco and tilted her head, "Right, Draco?"

Draco sighed, and knowing he wasn't going to get anymore time alone with his girlfriend, he just nodded.

As the four walked out of the Head Dorms, Harry said to Hermione, "Actually, Dumbledore sent us up here to find you. There's a school announcement, something about a contest. And obviously, the Head Girl has to be there." Harry grinned at Hermione.

Draco coughed.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Right, and the Head Boy too."

Draco coughed again.

"What, Malfoy?"

"I'm just saying, if there is a contest, I'll beat your arse."

"Right, like all those other times when you've _actually_ won a Quidditch match against me? If anyone's arse will get beat in this competition, it's your's Malfoy."

"You-"

Hermione and Ginny both rolled their eyes as they proceeded to push open the doors of the Great Hall together.

"Boys."

**A/N: In the next chapter, the contest will be announced. The story will be about 5-10 chapters, depending on how it goes. If you have any ideas, constructive criticism, or just want to say hi, don't hesitate to review!! Reviews are what keeps this story going, so please take a little time, and just type something down!**


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